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New police drone to catch speeding drivers in London

The Metropolitan Police is set to become the first force in the UK to use a drone to monitor behaviour on the roads.

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will be deployed over roads in the capital later this month, helping to look out for dangerous and speeding drivers.

Rather than targeting all speeding motorists, the device will focus on road users engaged in dangerous driving, such as racing, that could potentially put others at risk.

Once a suspect has been spotted, information will be relayed from the drone to officers on the ground so they can pull them over, the Guardian reports.

According to the Met, the drone’s remit is as much about deterrence as catching lawbreakers.

Detective Superintendent Andy Cox, head of the Met’s roads and traffic policing unit, said: “This is one of many enforcement tactics being used. Its aim is to deter dangerous driving and we hope the message of ‘drive lawfully, stay safe and keep a clean licence’ is widely understood.

“However, deterrence is sometimes best achieved through intense enforcement and that’s what this capability enables.”

The police drone has night vision capability and will be used on main routes in and out of London. It can be deployed at high altitudes, or closer to the ground where it is visible to motorists.

More than 160 motorists have been caught speeding in the capital in the past five weeks, with some being detected at speeds of up to 127mph, according to the Evening Standard.

The Met would not reveal whether more UAVs would be brought into service if the first one proved to be a success, citing operational security, the Standard said.

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